Closure: Steve Jobs & Freddie Mercury's Queen

I woke up this morning to the news of Steve Jobs' passing and wasn't quite sure how to react.  A few minutes later, I could feel a few tears strolling down my cheek and then I realized, that even though I never knew the genius that was Steve Jobs personally, I was mourning for someone who felt near and dear to me.

Image Courtesy: apple.com

Without wanting to sound like an episode of Glee, I got in the car and instinctively had the urge to listen to a few songs from Queen this morning.  Freddie Mercury was a genius in his own right and died fighting an  illness that he'd kept hidden for years.  Steve Jobs did the same.  Different illnesses but the fighting spirit remained in both of them.

Listening to a few songs from Queen, it seemed like every song I was listening to related to Jobs.  A few examples below.

A King of Magic - A classic from Queen was the first song that came to mind.  What Jobs did was magical in so many ways, whether at Apple or at Pixar.  He re-did what was already done and knocked our socks off.  The lyrics from this song also seem apt (see below).

It's a kind of magic,
It's a kind of magic,
A kind of magic,
One dream, one soul, one prize,
One goal, one golden glance of what should be,
It's a kind of magic,
One flash of light that shows the way,
No mortal man can win this day,
It's a kind of magic,
The bell that rings inside your mind,
It's a challenging the doors of time,
The waiting seems eternity,
The day will dawn of sanity,
Is this a kind of magic,
There can be only one,
This rage that lasts a thousand years,
Will soon be gone,
This flame that burns inside of me,
I'm hearing secret harmonies
It's a kind of magic,
The bell that rings inside your mind,
Is challenging the doors of time,
It's a kind of magic, 

We Will Rock You - Steve you did indeed rock our world.  In the last couple of years, we've seen a World Economy and an Apple Economy.  The Apple Economy has probably helped save the World Economy.

I Want it All - In the chorus, to the song, the words "I Want it All" are repeated three times and then Queen sang, "and I want it Now."  This epitomizes what Steve Jobs believed in.  He had a vision, a passion, a desire to get things done and to dominate the way it was done.  What made him stand out though was the belief that it wasn't a product of the future but something that could be done today.  It makes me think of the launch of Siri, the talking assistant that was demonstrated by Apple just the day before Jobs passed way during the iPhone 4S launch.

I Want to Break Free - May seem like an odd-choice for a song to remember Steve Jobs by but there are a few powerful lyrics in this song that summed up the passion Apple products created for a first time buyer that often stayed with them for life.  The lyrics from the second verse are below and see if you agree with me.

I've fallen in love
I've fallen in love for the first time
And this time I know it's for real
I've fallen in love, yeah
God knows, God knows I've fallen in love 

Radio Ga Ga - Seems ironic that the iPod may have killed radio at one time before Apple again revived it by spreading the concept of podcasts (that virtually most talk radio stations rely on today) and Apps to listen to your favourite stations on.

We are the Champions - Jobs came back to Apple when they were down and made them into one of the most enviable companies out there.  The fact that he managed to defy the odds during a recession, made Jobs and Apple true champions.  What's more, they've inspired another generation of champions along the way.

The Show Must Go On - Tim Cook and the rest of the team at Apple have been entrusted with the job of continuing where Jobs left off.  The culture and the mindset has been instilled by Jobs but as most of us know, companies outlive individuals in many cases.  Let's hope the same continues here with Apple.

I know there many be many other songs that may have been relevant and I grappled with whether I should include them in this post or not but felt these summed up the loss of Steve Jobs probably best.

Steve, you will be missed but the lessons you've left behind will inspire generations to come.  Thank you.

Will Whitman Outwit the Competition?

"Messenger Down! He's finally been shot!"

This is how I imagined the situation in the HP Board Room last week when it was confirmed that HP had just fired their CEO of less than one year, Leo Apotheker.

While I personally felt Apotheker was the wrong man for the job, it was shocking to see how HP's Board failed to take responsibility for actions that they were also responsible for.  The last twelve months have been rocky for not only HP but the rest of the industry as they've all struggled to grow while Apple has moved ahead of the pack at record pace.

HP's Board missing in action when their CEO needed a hand

In firing Apotheker, HP's Board washed their hands of any responsibility of whatever's transpired for them since he took over, including their decision to exit the tablet & smartphone business, separate their PSG division and acquire Autonomy.  Most of these were actions that we would've thought unthinkable a year ago before Apotheker took charge but for him to take these decisions as CEO, there must've been some consent or agreement on this direction from the Board at HP.  It is inconceivable to think that all of this would've happened with Board endorsing it and as a result, it was in essence part of their strategy as well.

The way Apotheker managed these announcements had a left to be desired for and his ability to chart out a direction for HP seemed flawed in my opinion but to strictly put the blame on him is wrong.  Having personally seen Mark Hurd speak previously, my guess is that had he been in the same position, he would've I'm sure been able to handle the situation a lot better. Hurd had a sense of charisma and respect that he gained which would've made you think that any decision being pushed through by him was well thought through.

With HP now deciding to appoint Meg Whitman, an HP Board Member, as CEO can be seen as positive step forward given her track record in the consumer space at eBay but what we have to remember is that she still is part of the Board that went ahead with Apotheker's strategy for changing HP.

Will Whitman outwit (sorry for the pun) everyone and bring HP back to the leadership position it deserves to be in by doing something revolutionary in HP or will she serve as a captain of a ship that's already set sail?  We'll wait and see but whatever she does decide to do, I hope HP Board's learns their lesson as they next time around they can't ask why the CEO screwed up.  It's been their own doing and they have to take responsibility for themselves going forward.

Please note all thoughts mentioned on this blog are personal views and not given by me in any official capacity.  If quoting from this blog, please quote me in a personal capacity only and not in my official capacity.

Typing Centres: What's the Point?

Anyone who's lived in the UAE knows the story about typing centres.  For those not familiar with them, they are basically institutions that exist for the sole purpose of typing documentation for anyone requiring a government service.

While the UAE has been talking extensively about e-services, the job of a typing centre attendant has been thriving.  I saw an example of this when I decided to renew my Emirates Identity Card (EIDA).  With all the hoopla that's surrounded applying for EIDA (click here to read an earlier blog post on this), you'd think that renewing it would be easier as the powers that be would have everything they require from you from the first time you applied for the card.

How wrong I was.  Apart from the obvious of supplying them with a photocopy of my passport, updated UAE visa and presenting them with a copy of my old EIDA card, I was told, this all had to be sent to a typing centre and re-typed onto a form and then it has to be re-submitted to them.

Why?

I have no idea.  The bureaucracy that surrounds a simple step like renewing a document can actually serve more as a deterrent in the long term.  Prior to coming to the UAE, I'd never lived in a country where I had to approach a typing centre to do anything for me.  With advancements in technology, I'd always assumed the role of typing centers would diminish in the long term as most typewriters start to suffer from old age and rust.  That though doesn't seem to be the case here in the UAE and if you're looking for a new business to start up, I'd suggest you enroll yourself in a secretarial course and get your typing speed up as you stand to rake in the dough.

P.S. In case you were born after 1990 and are wondering what a typewriter is,  have a read through this Wikipedia link.

APPLE BUYS SONY...in my dreams

APPLE BUYS SONY

Call me a dreamer, call me an idealist, call me crazy but this headline doesn't seem all that ridiculous to me.

On this very same day in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech and while I have no intention of ever comparing myself to Dr. King, I can't help but day dream about what an Apple-Sony marriage would look like.

Image Courtesy:
 http://www.takdangaralin.com/english/oratorical-pieces/oratorical-piece-i-have-a-dream/

With the recent spate of mergers we've seen in the industry, the troubles that traditional Japanese manufacturers have faced and the threat of competition coming from non-traditional hardware players like Google, Amazon and Facebook, something drastic has to happen.

Why does Apple and Sony make sense?

1. DESIGN - Sony and Apple fundamentally both are companies that lend their origins to being on the cutting edge of design.  It is hard to argue that Sony in its heyday had products that looked just fabulous and Apple is legendary for their design elements today.

2. WHAT NEXT? - Sony has had a troubling few years and various questions have been asked for Sony regarding what it can do to improve itself going forward.  In a post Steve Jobs era, Apple will also have the same questions asked of them and combining their strengths like may mean they can be a formidable powerhouse going forward.

3. TELEVISION - Apple's attempts to make a foray into TV haven't exactly been what they expected.  Apple TV has been demonstrated at various Apple events but somehow has never left anyone really excited.  Sony at their core knows televisions but has lost their way with the onslaught that they're facing from various Korean (and possibly in future Chinese brands).  An Apple television powered by Sony makes sense.  With stories starting to circulate that Sony could look at moving out of the television business by even possibly selling this unit to a Chinese brand, it could be something for Apple to look at.

4. APPLE STORES - Apple has been the envy of the industry with their retail roll-out strategy.  The experience of an Apple Store is unparalleled and although Sony has many of their own retail outlets, they could do with an Apple makeover.  Further, Apple could definitely sell a lot more products from their own stores which are manufactured by Sony.

5. COOL FACTOR - This is something again that both brands share.  Buying Sony was cool in the 1980's, 1990's and early 2000's.  Buying Apple is today cooler.

6. THE CASH FACTOR - With the recent revelation that Apple has got more cash in its reserves than the US Government, we know that Apple can in true Jerry Maguire fashion, "show Sony the money."

7. SONY MUSIC & PICTURES - Apple is the largest seller of music in the world today through iTunes.  Sony has a formidable music and movie library that could give Apple the edge over other competitors in the industry today.

8. ACCESS JAPAN - The desire of every American brand has been to make it big in Japan.  Some could argue Apple has already done this but how much deeper could Apple entrench themselves in the Japanese domestic market by leveraging on the Sony relationship?  Can Apple succeed where the American automobile industry failed?

9. WICKED PRODUCTS - One can only imagine what the combined R&D strengths of Apple and Sony could produce.  Apple is creative, Sony can be creative.  Together they could be a tag team that rips the competition to shreds.

10. SAMSUNG - Apple's biggest threat these days is Samsung.  This is clear from all the legal juggernaut we've been seeing in the press.  Sony's biggest threat in consumer electronics is also Samsung.  If the cultural differences that divide Apple and Sony threatened to derail such a deal, the strength they could derive from each other in the battle against Samsung could neutralize any such differences.

11. GAMING - Apple has with the iPhone changed gaming.  Sony had at one time changed gaming with the the PlayStation and PSP consoles that they had.  If Apple and Sony can work out a way to combine this know-how, they could give the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo and Google, more sleepless nights going forward.

I know what I've just said is crazy.  I just want to create a stir and make a thought provoking statement or two.  With everything that's happened in the industry of late, you can't help but wonder what could happen next.  Apple has made it a habit of keeping us guessing and with this write-up, may be I've got you guessing on what Apple could be next as well.

Please note all thoughts mentioned on this blog are personal views and not given by me in any official capacity.  If quoting from this blog, please quote me in a personal capacity only and not in my official capacity.

No comment - Steve Jobs

Image Source: http://thetweetermama-becausemamasaidso.blogspot.com

NO COMMENT

It was strange.  The news of Steve Jobs stepping down as Apple CEO was all over the Internet and every social media network when I touched down in Dubai early this morning.

Given all that we've seen in tech sphere in the last two weeks and the fact that I've been responding pretty quickly with a blog post on either my personal or work blog, I thought it would be no different this time.

Then I saw the flood of Steve Jobs stories flooding my Twitter timeline and decided against writing anything.  Anything more I would say would only be repeating something that was already said a few hundred thousand times over.

I therefore decided in true Apple fashion, to keep it simple and say nothing.

HP: Where does the ink spill next?

In the last week, we've seen a series of announcements in the IT and mobile industry that were earth shattering but what we've not heard about is what still makes me curious.

First let's take stock of what was announced and what is left to speculation:

• Google-Motorola - Is this a marriage of convenience (for patents) or is Google going to start rolling out their own branded stock Android devices?  Will Samsung, HTC and LG get short-changed in the process?
• HP-WebOS - HP has shut down all efforts for developing their own smartphone and tablet devices after a number of failures over the years.  Even buying Palm didn't help them.
• HP-PSG - HP wants to separate their PC business from the mothership.  Will they spin it off, sell it or look at a management buyout?  No one knows.  Who could align with this is still speculation.
• HTC-Beats - This was the first announcement that came out last week and sadly for HTC, it was forgotten because of everything else that was announced.  In case you didn't hear, Dr. Dre sold a portion of his company to HTC.  Do we need to prepare for an HTC device with a Justin Bieber ring tone standard or a Lady Gaga-esque crazy smartphone?  

So next we expect to hear something from Dell and Samsung as they've obviously got an eye on Apple, HP and Google.  HTC's announcement seems inconsequential in the grander scheme of things so maybe they may think of something.  Will Acer continue it's tablet / smartphone strategy?  Where does Microsoft fit in with everything going forward?

Will HP compare the consumer IPG business to 1990's
boy band "Color Me Badd?"

What seems to have slipped under the radar though is the future of HP's IPG division.  The IPG division is the portion of HP that's responsible for the printers that HP markets and the lucrative ink / toner business.  It's known that a printer manufacturer like HP makes most of their profits from consumables.  However, at the low end of the market, profits on printers can be difficult because of the number of third-party ink solutions available.  Many brands have withdrawn from this and decided to focus on the enterprise or corporate market (think Xerox, Lexmark and Brother).  

With HP saying consumer grade PC's are very low profit, could they say the same for their consumer IPG products and focus then on the high-end market where there is less competition on consumables?  If they did, who would be able to fill the vacuum left in that segment of the market?

Of course, what I'm talking about is all based on speculation and a creative mind.  I don't have any insight or inside knowledge on this but when you hear announcements of this sort from HP, you have to think, where does the buck stop?  

DJ, Play that funky music

From the title of this post, you can tell that I seem to have been inspired by the music listening to when it comes to blogging.  Music has always been a good way to express yourself or convey your sentiments but also powerful in that it can transcend age groups, gender and cultures.  

My question then is, why are we so restricted in Dubai in terms of the type of music we get to listen to?

I'm talking specifically about the English language radio stations here in the UAE.  We have one talk radio station, two which play adult contemporary and the rest all seem to focus on Top 40, R&B / hip-hop and pop.  Even two adult contemporary stations seem to play the same sort of the music as the other mainstream stations except they probably stuff that's been off the playlist at the other stations for a couple of months or years.

When did you last hear Metallica on the radio here?

There are so many other types of music that one forgets about when living in the UAE and it's only when you randomly hear a station suddenly playing rock, metal, classical, soul, jazz, reggae, folk, country or just simple chill-out music that you remember there are other things we could be listening to.

I'm not saying that every station should focus on one type of music only but at least if they've got a couple of shows during the week that focus on these different genres, it would make for a pleasant change and even though you may not be a fan of every genre, I'm sure many would learn to appreciate it for what it is.

It's sad but we have some brilliant events that happen in Dubai like the Jazz Festival but honestly they're under-appreciated because most people here have never heard of the artists who perform.  The only way the organizers can make these events a success is by bringing a headline act who barely qualifies as a jazz singer or musician but is in many cases better known as a hip-hop or R&B act just to get the crowds in.

Paul Taylor is currently on top of the Billboard Jazz Song
charts but chances are, no one in the UAE has ever heard
of him.

Radio stations have to realize that ever since the invention of the iPod, iPod transmitters and audio jacks in our cars, people have started listening to the music that they want.  If you can provide them the same choice, they may listen more to you.  I know radio has been booming here in the Emirates from an advertising revenue point of view but there is so much more revenue that could be gained if radio stations did something different.  Internet radio is a trend that is catching up in the United States where you have stations that play all sorts of music, some of it so obscure, you'd probably never come across it even if you tried to search for it, that it could just be a matter of time until we see it emerge here.  Why would it do well?  Only because it would differentiate itself from the usual Katy Perry and Lady Gaga type music we hear here normally.

There was a time when radio in the Emirates had shows that focused on specific genres but that seems to have disappeared.  I do hope the guys who run the radio stations read this and do start changing up their playlists with shows that embrace the diversity of genres that are out there.  I for one would be grateful and I'm sure there would be many more out there who would agree with me.