Tax on the Brain

“The PC is over. It will linger, but increasingly as a relic.”

Those are words from from MG Siegler, a noted fan of Apple products, writer and investor.

When I come across anyone predicting the demise of the PC I immediately take interest because I make my living helping people select custom computers. Many of these people make their living using professional software tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Premiere. The computer power they require can’t be found on a tablet or smartphone or even a laptop on many occasions.

I would guess that many from this group are longtime PC users and laugh at the idea of PCs becoming relics. Not a week goes by where someone tells me the view tablets like the iPad as “toys” and can’t imagine being productive on them. They are viewed in same light as the Nintendo DS: fun toys, but useless when it comes to serious work.

We have Windows PCs, iPads, iPhones and three iPod Touch in our home. This past Christmas we finally got a big screen TV that’s hooked up to DirecTV, a Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360.

Watching how my children use each of these devices has been interesting and not what I would have predicted.

The PC is used to play Roblox, which is a simple (and goofy) Flashed based game. Occasionally Lincoln will watch a YouTube video or Luca will edit a paper for school on the PC. To them, the PC is a place where I do my work. It’s for old people who have to use these primitive input devices called a keyboard and mouse. It’s big and clunky, and requires frequent patches and reboots. In short, it’s a hassle.

The TV is used to consume shows they watch together like So You Think You Can Dance. They seldom watch anything live. To them, TV is what’s on Netflix or recorded to the DVR. They idea of having to sit through commercials is foreign to them.

For everything else, they default to their iPod Touch. It’s the only device they own and don’t have to share with anyone else. They can select which apps are on it as well as customize the screen the way they want. They use the iPod Touch to play games, send texts, watch movies, and stream Netflix. It’s what they turn to first. I’m still surprised when I see one of them curled up on the couch in front of a turned off TV watching Spongebob through Netflix on the iPod Touch.

And yet I do the same thing now with my iPad. I watched all five season of the Wire on my iPad because I could do so from bed. I often sit on the couch and watch ESPN highlights when I could be watching them on a 52-inch screen. But when I’d have to locate three remotes and then fuss with each of them. In that same time I can watch the highlight on my iPad.

When I wanted to watch HBO on my computer I had to download a bunch of plugins that weren’t initially compatible with my browser. But first I had to lookup the model number of my video card to make sure it was on the “approved list” because I guess someone is worried I possess the skills to pirate Game of Thrones. Given the number of technical hoops I had to jump through, I’m sure many people would just give up. Even once I had the plugins installed, I would get an error telling me my graphics card wasn’t compatible with their service.

The same thing happened when I my PC upgraded to Silverlight which is required to stream Netflix on the PC. Searching for a solution online brought up many people having the same problem. Some suggested I revert back to an older version of Silverlight while others recommended making a few changes to the registry. Two weeks later, a user on a technical forum suggested I run a command from the command line that magically fixed it.

At least until the next Silverlight upgrade.

The fact is PCs are still incredibly complex. They require far too many updates. They are not easy to backup, and many of the backup services are difficult to use. Have you installed a PC game lately? Get ready to spend a few hours making everything work right. The hoops the gamer must jump through would be inconceivable to many who play those same games on the Xbox or Playstation. The patience required is still enormous.

I grew up using a PC. It’s all I had. It’s all I knew for most of my computing life. I’m willing to put up with the many quirks and idiosyncrasies that try my patience. I know my way around the registry, and have torched so many computers that I got accustomed to making them work again by breaking them open and futzing around with them for hours. 

My kids will grow up using devices that don’t require that level of dedication and know-how. Hand an iPad to a child and watch them master it in just minutes. It’s simple and intuitive. Compare that to Windows 8 which is best described as a “tax on the brain”.

Many kids in elementary school have no need for a PC. They will have experienced the instant-on, no fuss nature of the smartphone or tablet. Try telling them they can’t type on a small screen and watch them laugh. Many of them can type more words per minute on their tiny screens that you can type on your full-sized keyboard. Don’t tell them they need a PC to edit photos or video either. The tools are already there in the app stores. Tell them about Patch Tuesday and watch them double over in laughter.

For the time being, PC sales remain strong as least at my employer. We don’t sell sub $1000 PCs which have been decimated by the rise of the iPad. We’ll soon witness a wave of new tablets running Windows 8. We still sell a lot of PCs to people who just need a reliable platform to browse the web, write emails, and edit the occasional Office document. If you’re like me and you’re used to doing those activities on a PC, you’ll probably stick with the PC for a while and maybe forever.

But for kids who grow up using smartphones and tablets to accomplish those same tasks, only time will tell if they even consider a traditional PC.  Most of the killer apps are on mobile devices. When’s the last time someone told you to check out a cool program for the PC?

Time will tell, but I don’t believe my children will have a need for a PC in same way I did. I’d say the odds are against it.

The Pastor

When the kids are wound up sometimes we’ll load them up in the Odyssey, give them a Nintendo DS or iPod Touch and tell them to keep quiet. Of course, they are never quiet, but they are strapped into their seats and unable to inflict too much damage on each other.

That’s what we did tonight, and have done on a number of occasions. If we’re lucky the kids will fall asleep giving Kim and I a chance to talk.

Tonight I asked Kim a question that’s been on my mind: “Had you not been raised in a Mormon family, how religious do you think you’d be?” 

This lead to a discussion about the differences between religion and spirituality. I believe one can be religious without being spiritual. For me, religion has more to do outward behavior and practices often set forth by an organized church. Attending church and paying tithes or offerings are examples of this. I know plenty of people who are really good at appearing religious.

Looking back on my two year mission to Germany, I recognize most of what I did was centered around quotas, rote memorization, and keeping rules. I had a few spiritual experience during those years, but it was by sheer accident, and had little to do with traditional missionary work.

One of those experiences took place about six months into my mission. My companion and I had been teaching a man who worked as a Protestant pastor. He was interested in learning more about the Mormon church so we got together to discuss how our beliefs meshed and differed from his.

He was single and often invited us to his home for lunch or dinner. Over time we become close friends to the point where he gave us a key to his home where we could retreat from the bitter winter months when our limbs were numb from walking the streets searching for people to teach.

We shared a few ups and downs. Members of his congregation hassled him for speaking to us. Although Germany recognizes Mormons as one of only had handful of sanctioned religions with the freedom to openly proselyte, we were often mistaken for Jehovah Witness missionaries who were more aggressive in their recruiting techniques.

I’d lived in Germany for six months, and my speaking skills were rusty, but I learned to listen and was able to understand well. I often asked my new friend to repeat himself. He showed a lot of patience and never made me feel stupid when I asked for help or referred to my Germany/English dictionary.

Most evenings my companion and I would stay at his home until 9:45. The pastor would call a cab, give us a 10 Mark coin, and send us out the door so we’d be home by the mission mandated 10 pm curfew. But one night, he asked if we wanted to walk home and offered to accompany us.

That gave us about 35 minutes to chat as we walked down moonlit cobblestone streets that lined the tiny city of Unna. This man was more than twice my age, belonged to a different religion, and certainly didn’t need two young American missionaries telling him that what he’d been taught all his life was only partially true.

As we neared our apartment and were about to say goodbye, the pastor reached into his pocket and pulled out two solid silver 10 Mark pieces.

“I want you to have these. Maybe they will remind you of all the cab rides. Or maybe they will remind you of me.” he told us.

I was stunned at his kind gesture.

Connecting in such a manner with another person is a rare experience. Over twenty years later I can appreciate how seldom such connections happen. It’s those connections that kept me going for two years worth of days filled mostly with rejection. Our mission president called it something else: failure. 

I can’t recall a single memorable experience I had handing out a Book of Mormon, inviting someone to church or teaching a memorized discussion. The most memorable parts of my mission occurred on the periphery, not in the weekly statistics we called in to headquarters.

The pastor could not have known the insecurities that existed in that 19 year old young man from Utah. Or the feelings of “What the hell am I doing here?” that ran through my mind each morning as I sat in my bed staring at the ceiling. How could he know how I was feeling when he’d only known me for a few weeks?

I felt as though I’d been given a spiritual gift, although it would take years before I’d recognize it as that.

I recently gave my oldest son this silver 10 mark piece, and shared this story with him. By his reaction he gave me I don’t believe he fully understands its significance, but that’s OK.

All in due time.

The iPhone 5 and the Porsche 911

Every few years Porsche rolls out a new 911, arguably the most iconic sports car ever created. Yet, like clockwork, the new 911 looks a lot like the previous version. In fact, unless you’re a Porsche aficionado, you may not  recognize the differences even if you knew what to look for.

The first 911 was released in 1963 by Dr. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, and its teardrop shape looks remarkably like the 2012 model available today. That’s nearly 50 years in which the basic design hasn’t changed.

911Generations

With each new generation, a number of small, incremental design tweaks have been made to the 911. The fascia continues to evolve giving the car a more aggressive stance. The rake of the windshield has become more flat while the rocker panels have become more pronounced in later models.

Although these and many other seemingly minor design changes are debated at length by the enthusiasts, they are often overlooked by the rest of us. Dr. Porsche flat out nailed the design at conception. But he didn’t rest on his laurels. He continued to make changes under the hood, often implementing new materials and technology into the car as long as didn’t detract from its purpose and soul.

After using air-cooled engines for 32 years, Porsche switched to water-cooled units found in today’s models. Powerful engines, ceramic brakes and Xenon headlights were added. New models run on a wider track, and offer a mind-numbing array of safety features. Aluminum is now used in place of steel to reduce weight and increase fuel economy.

But the essence of the 911 hasn’t changed. Dr. Porsche infused the first model with a soul that can still be found in today’s 911.

I liken the Porsche 911 to the new iPhone that was announced today.

Some of my friends were disappointed that the iPhone 5 isn’t doesn’t look dramatically different from the iPhone 4/4S. The iPhone 5 looks like someone stretched the older model just enough that one more row of icons will fit on the screen. If that were the only change Apple made I would have been disappointed as well.

iphone5vsiPhone4

But that’s not the case. Apple made a number of Porsche-like under-the-hood changes that will prove to be more important than a major design change would bring. The new iPhone is lighter, thinner, includes a new “twice as fast” chip, higher resolution screen and upgraded camera. But the biggest change is support for LTE which is geek for “it downloads data so fast it will make your head spin.”

The iPhone is a fraction of the age of the 911, and I don’t expect the design cues of a portable computer to remain as consistent as those found in a sports car. But Jonathan Ive, the designer of the iPhone, got so much right in his initial creation that wholesale changes are not needed.

"A coherently designed product requires no adornment – it should be enhanced by its form alone."

That’s not a quote from Steve Jobs, although I could see him saying that. No, that’s from Dr. Porsche and it’s as relevant today as it was in 1963.

“How’s Work Going?”

Kim made chocolate chip banana bread this evening, and I decided to share a loaf with my neighbor who has spent countless hours helping to keep my bike in working order. He’s in his mid 60’s, retired and lives alone. He’s opinionated and direct in everything he does. In fact, he intimidates me a bit, but he’s become a good friend, and I sense he enjoys sharing his knowledge of cycling with me.

I stood on his porch with a warm loaf of bread in my hand waiting for him to answer the door. Eventually, he came to the door and stepped outside on the porch. I handed him the bread, expressed my thanks, and was about to leave when he said, “You’re doing it the right way, you know that?”

He could tell I was confused.

He began to tell me about his job as an engineer which often kept him away from his family. It was a struggle to stay involved with his children. He realized early in his career that sacrificing time with his children to further his career would result in empty rewards. Today his greatest joy is the time he spends with his son and grandchildren.

“I noticed you taking your kids for a bike ride today. That’s what I’m talking about. That’s the right way, and it will pay dividends down the road.”

I told him I appreciated the kind words and began walking back home, where I ran into another neighbor who was just getting home as the sun was going down.

“How’s work going?” I asked.

“Not bad if I overlook the four hour commute each day.”

He works for Boeing, and was recently transferred to a plant about 50 mile north of where he’s worked the past few years. I’m not sure he realized I was no longer working in Redmond, and I felt bad admitting my commute is done on my bike and takes about 20-25 minutes each way.

I miss my corporate job twice a month on payday. Otherwise I am happy to leave the politics, endless meetings,  and 2 to 3 hour a day commute behind. I possess my father’s DNA, but I’m not wired the same way he is where my identity is tied to my job title. His father was the same way. I suspect it’s generational.

I can’t relate to people who say they would continue to show up to work if they won the lottery. I’m blessed to have a job I enjoy and a company I’m proud to represent. I don’t play the lottery, but if were in the position where I didn’t have to work, no way in hell would I continue punching the clock.

With my three oldest kids in tow, we rode our bikes to the 7-11 where they picked out a small Slurpee. They like to mix the flavors so we end up with a banana, Pina Colada , Coke concoction that looks as terrible as it must taste. As I waited for them to finish, I asked each of them what they enjoyed most about our summer.

Anna said she loved visiting her grandparent’s cabin. Luca liked going to Wild Waves and to many of her friend’s birthday parties.

Lincoln wasn’t paying attention so I asked him again. He thought for a minute, and then said, “Going on bike rides with you, especially that long one at night”.

That’s the one where we were gone so long that mom got in the van and came looking for us.

Next payday, I’ll remind myself of Lincoln’s answer.

Dark Sky

Have you ever wanted to know if it’s going to rain soon?

Until I started biking to work, I didn’t give it much thought. Dark Sky is an app that tells me what the chances it will rain within the next hour. It won’t give you a 5-day forecast of conditions and temperatures, but it has this uncanny way of predicting precipitation.

Sure, you can view a full-days worth of predictions, but the focus is on the next hour. It also includes gorgeous high res radar images, if you’re into that.

Dark Sky is available for the iPhone and iPad. It looks gorgeous in the iPad but I just it almost exclusively on my phone.  My father is a weather nut, and I’m hoping this is the straw that finally pushes him into getting an iPhone.

IMG_0897IMG_0898darksky

Shutting Down The Samsung Copy Machine

Apple was awarded $1.05 billion in damage yesterday when a jury found that Samsung mobile devices infringed on six Apple patents. Of course, the crux of Apple’s complaint was how Samsung has been churning out phone after phone that not only infringe on their patents, but appear to be outright iPhone knock-offs.

For those who don’t believe Samsung blatantly copied Apple’s iPhone, this picture says it all.

apple_samsungphones

Take a look at the phones Samsung created before the iPhone was announced in January of 2007.

Samsung then spent the next two years designing their phones to look like the iPhone, but they hadn’t quite perfected the process. I suspect many of these phones would have been in the design phase around the time the iPhone was released giving Samsung very little time to pivot towards the Apple design.

But the last panel shows that by mid 2010, Samsung is building phones that could pass for counterfeit iPhones on the streets of New York. That’s not innovation. That’s not borrowing or being influenced by other’s designs. That’s Samsung firing up their copy machines.

One must be completely blind to not to see this.

This has nothing to do with Android. This is Samsung riding the coattails of Apple’s most successful product, and intentionally trying to confuse consumers.

The jury has spoken. I’m sure Samsung will fight this as long as they can through the appeals process. But their reputation as a company that intentionally copies Apple products is cemented in history. Any new product Samsung releases going forward will be scrutinized against this verdict as well it should.

One thought: If Samsung is eventually compelled to license patents from Apple, it’s possible that Android could generate more profits for Microsoft and Apple than it does for Google. If I were a Google shareholder that would not make me happy.

We already know that Google earns four times the revenue on iOS search compared to search on Android. But that could be winding down as Apple seems hell-bent on replacing or removing Google services that ship with the iPhone.

Given that Samsung is arguably the only Android OEM making any money building Android phones, one could say that the Android business model works best for two companies that don’t produce Android phones.

They Don’t Speak As Loudly

I zipped around the curve and up the small hill before heading down the final stretch to home this evening. The sun had gone down and a cool breeze had moved in. Three months ago I would have been out of breath and thinking to myself, “Why am I doing this?”

But tonight was different.

Although my light didn’t shine too far down the road I didn’t really need it.  The dog walkers and kids were safe inside by now allowing me to accelerate down the road without worry. I had worked up an earlier sweat, but the cool air blowing through my shirt and helmet felt so good.

I’m pushing myself physically in ways I haven’t since high school. But body is coming around to the fact that I’m not dinking around this time. The many aches and pains are still there, but they don’t speak as loudly.

I didn’t anticipate how biking would relax my mind. No music, no cell phone or the sounds of kids arguing. Remember the ad for the two-seat Porsche that suggested the more children you have the more practical it becomes?

The same could be said for biking.

Getting Upset Over A Cheeseburger

When my daughter slammed a cheeseburger down on the tray because it was supposed to be a hamburger I lost it.

I would normally glare at her until she got the message, but I was well past that point. Instead I lashed out at her in front of the family. That she wouldn’t eat her burger because we’d been given the wrong order was beside the point. I was upset that she’d feel so entitled to slam it down in such a manner.

It wasn’t as if she had snuck out of her room to take the car for the joyride at midnight.

But in the moment it felt like the right action to take, and I let her have it. My daughter was so surprised at my outburst that she followed my example and yelled right back. That’s not normally how she operates.

I don’t recall what I said to her nor do I recall what she said to me. It doesn’t matter though because my message was lost in its delivery. It’s one thing to yell when your child is running towards a busy street. But that wasn’t the case here.

Has someone ever changed your mind after yelling at you? Have you ever changed a person’s mind by yelling at them?

I’ve had nearly 11 years worth of experience as a father, but there are times all that experience doesn’t mean squat.

It’s been a couple of days, and I’ve had to reflect on how I acted. Honestly, I feel sort of numb about it but mostly embarrassed. Embarrassed because my other two sons and daughter and spouse witnessed it.

The next morning I was saying goodbye to the kids who were piled on the couch watching cartoons. My daughter got off the couch, walked over to me and gave me a hug. I patted her on the head a few times, wondering what she was thinking.

I’m not naïve enough to assume that she has forgotten about my actions the night before, nor do I believe she’ll be this forgiving when she reaches her teens and beyond. Even at her age, I would have avoided my mother or father had I been in a similar situation.

If I could take a mulligan I would.

I told my daughter why I was upset and apologized for yelling.  Maybe I’ve banked enough goodwill with her that she knows I love her and don’t normally act the way I did.

I kissed her on the forehead before taking off for work on my bike.

One good thing about having four kids is that I get a lot of opportunities to redeem myself.