Let me begin by emphasizing that I do believe a Tablet will be a very useful device, if done right. That is a big IF. It turns out that I’ve used TabletPCs (HP TC100 and later the TC1100) in the past but no longer use them. I’m also currently using the LiveScribe Pulse SmartPen, a MacBook Pro an iPhone an Apple TV, a Kindle, a Nook and a Sony Reader, among other things that are not relevant to this post.

Even though I abandoned the TabletPC in 2004, right after finishing my MBA, I didn’t do it out of frustration or lack of satisfaction but out of lack of necessity for it. In fact, I was very happy and grateful for the TabletPC during my MBA. Turns out it was ideal for the classroom. To begin with, at the time laptops were prohibited in the classroom at Duke due to the collective noise generated by the keyboards, among other smaller details. With the TabletPC I was able to take notes without such disturbances and in fact I got TabletPCs officially approved in the classroom with the school.

The HP TC1100 had an 11 inch screen (if I remember correctly), a removable keyboard and it weighted about 4-5 Lbs. It was a relatively light computer for the time which made it relatively practical. It ran on Windows XP TabletPC Edition.

The tablet was great for many reasons. To begin with, the school actually provided most of the reading materials in digital form and all professors published their slides ahead of the class or at worse at the time of class. This meant I could read a lot of things on the tablet and make comments, highlight and draw over documents, just like paper. I tried to do this as much as possible so that I could digitally preserve my MBA for the future and in fact, all the materials are still on a Duke folder in my computer, which is sometimes visited for reference.

For note taking and even for critical reading, having the option of a stylus is preferable than just using your fingers, particularly if you require precision. Thus my ideal tablet will be primarily used with touch but would support a stylus.

Another important factor for note taking is text input. By using the LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen for about a year now, I’ve learned that it is mostly useful only when I don’t have a keyboard handy or I need to do a lot of non-text inputs. This is because by far I’m a better typist than a freehand writer and this is increasingly the case for most people.

Back in 2003, the MBA class where the tablet was most useful was a Microeconomics class given by a great but not so technologically inclined professor, “Pino”, who preferred the old school chalk boards, was very fast with the chalk and with the tongue. Enter the digital camera.

The notes that I’m prouder of from my MBA where those for the mentioned class. I took a strategic position on the classroom with full frontal view of the board and put my camera on a small tripod on my desk, next to my TabletPC (yes, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a gadget freak). “Pino” would start his class and I would begin writing on my tablet. The best part of the technological magic was when Pino drew a chart on the board, I would just draw a square on my notes and take notes about the chart as he explained it and when he was done, I would zoom my camera in and snap a picture. Then I would write the image number on the designates square and continue.

After the class I would just embed the photos on their corresponding spaces and make any necessary corrections. Then I would post my notes on a PDF to the bulletin board.

I’ve never been on the very top of the student rankings thus I was very proud when I saw several classmates studying with printouts of my notes.

I remember wishing at the time that the camera was better integrated to the TabletPC and that the software I was using could immediately embed the picture in a designated spot as soon as I took it. Now I even believe it would be better if I could embed short videos of the professor explaining the chart in the designated spots but with the “thumbnail” being of the finished chart, making the notes truly multimedia but also printable.

I also wish I could have used the keyboard for typing text next to my drawings but this would only really work if the keyboard were external to the Tablet, like a small Bluetooth keyboard. That would have made me an even better note taker.

In a sense, I was making the ultimate live-blogging possible or at least the ultimate reporter’s notes or the ultimate drafting tool.

We now have all the technology necessary to do this at a reasonable price, it’s just a matter of putting it together. Furthermore, it’s not just about hardware technology, as Apple proved with the iPhone, software may be the most important piece of this puzzle.

An important software component for note taking is something that the LiveScribe pen has; audio recording with the timecode association to the writing. In other words, when played, the audio is matched to the content on the page.

This software feature, which I also use on the Mac with an App called Pear Note, allows me to use the text as just an index/pointer to the different sections of what I’m recording. For example, if the speaker if about to explain a concept I can just write “Explanation of concept X” and keep listening. Later on I can just click on that text and the audio will play from that position. Imagine this with video as well!

Most analysts and reviewers are focusing on the Apple tablet as a media consumption device. Granted, it has to do that and in many cases it will be ideal for it. But I see little discussion about the tablet as a content creation device, as a tool for creative input. I don’t expect it to be the end all of content creation tools but I do hope it will be capable of becoming the ultimate drafting/prototyping tool. It would be a bridge device, a device that will allow me to create concepts, take notes and draft ideas wherever I am. Later on, I (or someone else, wink, wink) could polish and finish my drafts on a full blown computer.

Many analysts believe Apple has its sights set on the educational market as well. If this is the case, it is vital that the tablet excels at note taking.

Thus, aside from a great content consumption device, I want the Apple tablet to be the ultimate drafting and prototyping tool, a content creation device. It would be then also ideal for many verticals, particularly for journalists. My wife, an architect, dreams of using this while doing construction management for creating the so called “punch lists”.

The technology is there, so how could Apple pull this off? Here comes my Tablet wish-list (in no particular order):

Size:

I hope it’s less than 10 inches. My experience with the Kindle DX is that it’s way too heavy for prolonged content consumption. It requires too much finger torque for sustained reading while holding on one hand, particularly in bed. 7-9 inches at most. Pretty much the size of a Kindle2/Nook or even the LiveScribe Notebook.

Built in cameras:

Ideally one frontal and one in the rear. Some companies have tried swiveling cameras but that’s just not an elegant solution so I don’t see Apple doing it. I would pick a rear camera if forced to choose but rear on for an alternative.

iPhone integration:

The iPhone can be a great sidekick to the tablet, particularly when it comes to the camera. From my experience with the TabletPC, having an external camera for content creation is much more versatile and it wouldn’t cost much to Apple to create a software solution that allowed the iPhone to share its camera with the tablet, including the video functionality. Imagine taking notes or having a video conference or live blogging on a Tablet with the iPhone as a freely movable camera. At the very least the Tablet should be able to wirelessly browse the iPhones Camera Roll and embed its pictures into any app running on the tablet as part of the SDK (Software Development Kit)

I will even argue that the iPhone’s keyboard may be a good alternative to the Tablet’s on screen keyboard. I’m probably wrong here and it will greatly depend on what the Tablet’s keyboard looks like but it wouldn’t hurt to have the iPhone as a remote Keyboard and trackpad. This could help when the tablet is on a stand displaying content. Also, one handed typing works on the iPhone due to its size but it may not work as well on a large tablet. At the very least, there should be an easy way to share clipboards between the devices.

Bluetooth HID profiles:

In many occasions having an external keyboard for fast typing will be ideal. I don’t think we need to explain this one too much. Bluetooth Headset profile will also be very useful for VOIP and cable-less media consumption, obviously.

SD Card Slot:

It’s got to have a way to download pictures from another camera and for sharing media and files. This is unlikely to happen though because it would increase the width of the device. I would choose thin over SD because external storage can be easily solved via USB.

Wireless Connectivity:

One of my favorite rumors is the possibility that it integrates Whispernet (Kindle) style connectivity for purchasing and downloading content anywhere. This would mean that the cost of the connectivity is included on the price of the content purchased from iTunes. Want to watch a TV episode on the Tablet, buy it for $2.99 and get it via built-in 3G.

Alternatively one would just subscribe to a 3G plan on AT&T or Verizon. I just hope this is not mandatory as in the case of the iPhone.

WiFi has to be in, obviously.

OS:

I’m betting it will be iPhone OS or a derivation. Apple won’t miss that 30% margin on the apps and it requires less system maintenance that full Mac OS. Besides, it would run thousands of apps from very early on. Besides, let’s not constrain our imagination to iPhone OS 3.0 as this would likely be a 4.0 edition with Multitasking and other substantial improvements. Also keep in mind that the iPhone’s screen resolution is already obsolete (compare with Droid and Nexus One), which means that developers should start working on new pixel dimensions for their apps anyway!

HID:

Like I said before, primarily multi-touch but with the optional use of a stylus for precision drawing. If it doesn’t support a stylus natively, I’m pretty sure some third party styluses will appear.

iTunes/Software:

I’m also betting this will reveal a new iTunes version, one that is much more integrated among devices. Home Sharing will be available for the iPhone, the iPod Touch, the Apple TV and the Tablet, all bidirectionally. So whatever media I have on any of my Apple devices can be streamed or copied to another one of my devices. With the acquisition of Lala it’s possible that this could even be done over the Internet. Even better would be if the our complete media library could sit on MobileMe.

iTunes would also incorporate an eBook store with a new format capable of displaying multimedia content, pretty similar to what has been done with iTunes LP and even more similar to what my Duke notes with video would look like. This would be the same format that one could create on the Tablet. Maybe this could be iWork 2010 with online sharing?

I’m dreaming too much!

Yesterday I was thinking precisely about dreaming. I was at the Atlanta Content Strategy meet-up and Margot Bloomstein mentioned companies wanting to be more like Apple. What does Apple have that makes some of us loyal? To me it’s that it allows me to dream, dream that there’s a company who could actually make them real.

On the realistic side, I’m absolutely sure of something. Just like Obama, the Apple tablet is destined to disappoint. When expectations are so high, it cuts both ways.

For the occasion I wrote a piece which can be read in Spanish at eluniversal.com  

Congratulations to everyone in the family of El Universal in Venezuela.

This is the intro to my article:

“Rather than submitting the same contents in each kind of media, the contents should fit in each possibility of supplying information. The challenge is big indeed, because the current change involves the media, the audience and the world. The information is here and users are either active or passive with regard to the news”

Continue reading…

El Universal has an English version of the Anniversary edition, which can be found at the Daily News Section:

Here is an English version of my article: From the newspaper to multiple platforms

This was my first Marathon and my second race in general since I did a 5K before I decided to run the Marathon. Given that I’ve been a runner for less than a year, I can’t be happier with my results.

The experience was amazing, the course is very beautiful and the cheering was really encouraging. I think I’ve fallen for running, real bad. Can’t wait to run my next one and run in different places.

Seeing my family get excited along the way was beyond description. Unfortunately they didn’t make it in time for the finish line but just thinking they would be there helped a lot.

This Marathon is very hilly, one of the those with most elevation changes in the US. Yes, more than NY or Boston and I really felt it, specially because there are many long hills along the last miles. It did affected my pace substantially so I’m hopeful that I can make a better time at a flatter course.

Getting there. Woke up at 5 am.

Along the way…

The results:

Average Pace 8:19,

10K: 50:43,

Half: 1:45:40,

20 Miles: 2:43:06,

Marathon: 3:38:10

Trying to steer away from getting too cheesy, this is my Oscar speech part:

I thank Valois, José Espinel and Franco who got me on this “doing a Marathon” thing.

To Titi whose support really made this possible in many respects. To my kids, both for inspiring me as for passing time without me while I trained.

To my parents and sister for always believing in me, always supporting me and always being there, even if some couldn’t physically be.

To Meme, for teaching me so many things, specially about enduring, which is what this race is all about.

To the rest of my family and to my friends for your friendships.

Nuf Said

I’m getting ready for the Atlanta ING Marathon which will be run on Sunday the 29th of March (this coming Sunday).

If you want to show up and cheer me up along the way, here are some tips on how to follow my progress and when I may be in the different cheering locations along the track.

The Marathon starts at 7 am sharp at the Centennial Olympic Park in Downtown Atlanta.

This is the course of the Marathon (2009 Route Map and Street List ):

There is some official Race Day Information here

“The Cheering Zone will supply plenty of inflatable noisemakers and “Go Runners!” signs. All you do is provide the enthusiasm and NOISE!

ING Cheering Zone- Marietta Street – the exciting final mile of the race!

Following the Runners Along the Course

Friends and family members of ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon participants are encouraged to use MARTA, Atlanta’s rapid transit system, to follow and support along the course. Several key MARTA stations fall along the route of the ING Georgia Marathon to include Five Points, MLK Memorial, Inman Park/Reynoldstown, East Lake, Decatur, Midtown, North Avenue, and Peachtree Center stations. MARTA Breeze cards will be available for purchase at the ING Georgia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo. For more information on MARTA, visit www.itsmarta.com.”

This is a close up of the Start/Finish area:

I’m hoping to finish the marathon around 11 am if all goes well. My expected average pace should be 8:22 minutes per mile, which should help you calculate where I may be along the course.

If things go according to plan, I may be around these times at these key locations (Download PDF):

If I’m not there at these times, things are either turning out too good to be true or not as good as planned…

You can find out where I’m at by tracking me live through this website.

Any positive energy is always welcome.

Facebook and Twitter are killing my family blog!
Why? Because it’s so much more convenient to keep our family and friends up-to-date through Facebook and Twitter than through the blog.

When we started the blog in 2001, it was the best way to keep our loved ones up to date, but many things have changed since then.

One great advantage of using Facebook is having unprecedented control on who can see what. If you spend some time tweaking the privacy settings on Facebook, you can control to the person who gets to see what. This is increasingly important to me given the levels of insecurity in Venezuela. It always scares me to travel there and know that there is so much information about us freely available in my family blog.

Yes it’s true that most people don’t know about it but Google does, and thus anyone willing would.

It’s also true that I can set some privacy settings on the blog to control that no sensitive information is freely available (which I have done), but then I have to put the burden on our friends who have to register on the blog to be able to see everything, and who needs another login and password!?

The beauty that most of our friends and family are already on Facebook does take the burden off of their shoulders.

Our closest friends are up to date and our non friends are not.

Perfect, right?

Wrong.

From the security and control perspective it is correct but there is one big problem with abandoning the blog and putting everything on Facebook. In the Digital Media world its called “Data Portability“, that is my ability or lack thereof, in the case of Facebook, to retrieve my information and migrate it to whatever service I see fit. As of now, we can’t do this with Facebook. Everything we publish there dies there. We can’t extract it and republish it anywhere else. If Facebook closes (unlikely but not impossible), everything we’ve published would be toast.

This is not the case with our blog. The data is ours and we have complete control on the server and back it up frequently. I could move the entire content of the blog from one platform to the other any time I want. In fact, this has happened already once when I moved it from Blogger to WordPress. And also, the WordPress blog itself has moved a few times from one server to the another.

Thus we’ve decided to keep blogging but only put here the important stuff, the stuff we don’t want to risk loosing, making this our true Family Diary. This blog has always been a good diary for us but it also had a lot of filler that it’s not crucial to “leave for posterity”.

Hence so, the family blog will from now on focus on important events that have happened and that bear some relevance to our lives.

Everything will be published after the fact (for live blogging follow me on Twitter or Facebook). Given that we are going through the parents stage of our lives, there is likely to be a lot of news and milestones from the kids, which most likely will be closed to registered users depending on the sensitivity of the information.

No, we are not that egocentric! We are happy to share our lives with our loved ones as it makes us feel connected but it’s definitively not thought of as responsibility with our fans or anything egocentric like that. Our main motivation is to keep a diary of our lives and share it with our closest friends and family.

At the end, it seems that fragmentation is affecting everything. Now there is a variety of platforms to communicate and each one is ideal for a particular usage scenario. Things are getting more complicated but at the same time, easier, it all depends on how much you want to do.

Long live the personal blog!

I recently bought a Netbook, the MSI Wind U100-432 to be precise and I must say I’m very happy about it.

Granted I’m grumbling about having to use Windows XP and remembering why I love Mac OS so much. Nevertheless, the advantage of running full applications when compared with my first netbook, an early eeePC.

My setup is simple. I run Dropbox to synch a folder with the files I’m currently working on and Evernote to take notes.

I also have Firefox 3 with the same Extensions I use on the Mac (No Script being a MUST since I’m on XP) and TweetDeck to remain connected to the Twitterati.

Mostly I don’t worry about local downloads of emails since I use Yahoo! Mail and GMail mostly.

For my To-do lists I’ve been a long time user of Remember The Milk.

All this really helps me work remotely without much power requirements. I’m wondering if it would get to the point of allowing me to travel with a Netbook and leave my Laptop behind on short trips.

One very good upside of this setup is the cost. For less than $500 I have a working environment even capable of videoconferencing via Skype. This is very attractive specially when thinking of risky places like Venezuela. I would be much less worried about having this stolen than my MacBook.

To make things even more interesting, there are ways to hack this machine to run OS X. That would make it almost perfect, since an Apple version would be the ultimate.

Another very big upside is the battery life. I don’t have precise data but today it lasted the whole afternoon, even with intermittent WiFi and it even helped recharge my iPhone which almost died on me today with low battery.

On the downside, the keyboard is not the most comfortable and the Windows key mappings are a pain since I’m so used to Mac commands now. Also the screen is not so big, so really it’s only tolerable to do work on texts, small spreadsheets and small MindMaps. I wouldn’t do Photography retouching on it or other large scale documents such as Project in it. Not unless it was urgent to do so.

The audience was mostly suits from the telecommunications industry and the usual Atlanta networking crowd.

The forum itself was very TV like since it was being transmitted live to 26 other locations around the US.

Here are some of my notes. Nothing really groundbreaking or new was said though.

According to De La Vega, AT&T Invested an additional $500M in the 3G network just to compensate for the increased expectation of demand due to the release of the iPhone 3G.

RDLV: “We’re the one subsidizing the iPhone to really get it to the masses”. On why AT&T deserves part of the credit for the iPhone’s success.

On wireless bandwidth: Todays technology can go up to 14.4 MPBS. Already purchased the spectum for 4G. Will use LTE which can go to up to 100 MBPS.

Average per user bandwidth usage is decreasing as mass market adoption of the iPhone increases. First adopters had higher per user bandwidth usage.

World is drifting to LTE although some are stickin to Wimax.

Verizon is also going to LTE.

At AT&T 3G is being lunched also on 850mhz spectrum to improve the reach.

RDLV on Wifi: believe that Wifi is the unifiying force. Just purchased Wayport. Idea is to allow users to switch seamlessly from cellphone data to WiFi.

RDLV: Close to 290 million phones in the US

A whole world of machine to machine communications is comming. Sensor that allow them to know where they are and when to interact with each other. RDLV

RDLV: Would start a company to help devices network with each other and become temporary peripherals.

Many opportunities in emerging markets.

Retail channels are becoming “experience stores”, what they can’t get online.

Loopt is the killer app according to RDLV but Loopt+Twitter would be even better.

The hardest part, according to many, is keeping the weight off. Some studies show that the great majority of people who loose a lot of weight, gain it all back and even end up worse than when they started. Well, I’m determined to prevent that from happening to me. That’s why I keep setting goals to myself. The only difference is that now my goals are not really related to weight but to athletic fitness.

Setting goals makes it more interesting and challenging. That’s pretty much the way I said to myself in January that I would loose weight, now I’ve made the decision to start competing in running and biking events. Thus I will start training for the Atlanta Marathon in March. Let’s see how I do.

So, where am I now?

My weight oscillates between 152 and 155 and that’s where I want to stay. Nevertheless, my body is still changing. I guess I’m loosing fat and gaining muscle weight because my waist keeps getting smaller. When I started this effort I was wearing pants size 36 and now I’m wearing 30 loosely, I even have some pants size 29 that fit perfectly. Even my shoes have changed half a size.

I’m now exercising every day, even if only doing pushups, I do something. My routine is to do a couple of days of strength training and the rest aerobic, either mountain biking or running. Last time I ran I did 7.8 miles in 50 minutes, which is not bad at all but for the marathon I would have to be able to sustain that much longer, maybe around 4 hours for the full marathon.

You can check my status at Gyminee.com in my profile page.

Here is a snapshot of today’s numbers:

At El Universal’s Upfront sale event

More work with El Universal