O'Reilly, Google Phone and Open Access

  I read an excellent article in the NYT (New York Times or www.nytimes.com for those of you who like links) by Tim O’Reilly.  O'Reilly opines that cell phones and the Internet are on a collision course.

Tim is a person who has always put his money and effort where his mouth is; in service of an open Internet.

Even more, he has spent a large amount of personal time working in the market to develop tools to make an open publishing environment became a reality. There are few people who have been more instrumental in helping develop open standards in the digital publishing world.

Open standards does not just mean free access. It also means open access; anyone can access any carrier on any device no matter where they buy the that particular device.

As ubiquitous as cell phone technology is; no one phone will let you access more than one carriers. A Motorola phone bought at Verizon only works on the Verizon network and you cannot access ATT or Sprint.  This is a unnecessary  layer of stupidity in system design that no one needs! 

The article discusses the much anticipated Google phone-like device.  Google is working with their partners to assure access will be open.  If they accomplish this we will soon have a world where cell phone service will no longer require some of us to carry two or even three phones.

But the most interesting statement he makes is one that is almost lost in the article. He states the obvious -- cell phone connectivity is so important to the future that soon all computing devices are going to be built around open cell phone technology.

That all computing devices need to be connected from anywhere at any time is such an article of faith with those of us who are working at planning the future that Tim tossed that comment off without stressing the point.

In other words, the value of any computing device, be it a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer or an eBook reader is so enhanced by universal connectivity that it will become a requirement for all such devices in the future.

This should serve as a warning to people like Amazon and Sony.  The stupidity of an eBook reader based on proprietary technology that cannot be kept proprietary.  Like it or not -- the future is barreling towards us.  And  in that future we will have an open publishing environment.  

Technorati Tags: tim oreilly,google phone,open access,verizon,cell phones

The 4-Hour Workweek (eBook)

The 4-Hour Workweek is an example of the kind of book I love to hate. At first glance it seems to be in the category of books like The Secret – lots of hype and nothing new (or really very interesting). And then there is Tim Ferris. A rather flamboyant character in his own right: entrepreneur, kickboxer, cage fighter, inspirational speaker and dancer, who has packed a lot of life into his 29 years. Against my better judgment I invested in a copy anyway.

The book is a pleasant surprise! Tim has an engaging and conversational writing style which makes the book fun to listen to or read. The case studies are well chosen and interesting. Tim presents some fascinating time management idea and helpful travel tips.

Because I do most of my research on my laptop, I ended up with a Mobipocket copy to use both on my Palm and on my laptop. This way I can annotate and cross reference the “Tools and Tricks” sections. It is worth buying the books specifically for these sections even if you don’t read another word.

Even though most reviewers (and the author, himself) maintain that this book is for everyone, I am not so sure. There are several reasons I can think of why many would consider his ideas fantastical and over the top.

The reviewers and Tim are correct, however, in so much as this book is a great reminder about what is really important in life.

Most Americans are truly over-informed, overworked and underpaid. This is a complicated society and most of us badly need to examine our priorities and simplify our lives. The 4-Hour Workweek has inspired me to do just that.

Any book which gets me to think more creatively has intrinsic value. So, against all odds, I am recommending this book.

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A Long Way Gone: eBook Edition by: Beah, Ishmael This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. More Info List Price : $22.00 Your price $16.93 (Using your 10% discount and $.89 in eBook Reward points)

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Female Brain eBook Edition by: Brizendine, Louann MD Common sense tells us that boys and girls behave differently. We see it every day at home, on the playground, and in classrooms. But what the culture hasn't told us is that the brain dictates these divergent behaviors. . .Girls arrive already wired as girls, and boys arrive already wired as boys. Their brains are different by the time they're born, and their brains are what drive their impulses, values, and their very reality. More Info List Price : $9.95 Your price $7.66 (Using your 10% discount and $.40 in eBook Reward points)

Spook Country eBook Edition by: Gibson, William Tito is in his early twenties. Born in Cuba, he speaks fluent Russian, lives in one room in a NoLita warehouse, and does delicate jobs involving information transfer. Hollis Henry is an investigative journalist, on assignment from a magazine called Node. Node doesn't exist yet, which is fine; she's used to that. But it seems to be actively blocking the kind of buzz that magazines normally cultivate before they start up. Really actively blocking it. It's odd, even a little scary. . . More Info List Price : $25.95 Your price $19.95 (Using your 10% discount and $1.05 in eBook Reward points)

4-Hour Workweek eBook Edition by: Ferriss, Timothy Ferriss has spent more than five years learning the secrets of the New Rich, a fast-growing subculture who has abandoned the “deferred-life plan” and instead mastered the new currencies—time and mobility—to create luxury lifestyles in the here and now. Whether you are an overworked employee or an entrepreneur trapped in your own business, this book is the compass for a new and revolutionary world. More Info List Price : $17.95 Your price $13.81 (Using your 10% discount and $.73 in eBook Reward points)