February 11th, 2009 rob
For those who are interested or in the Bay Area, I just found out that I’ve been chosen to speak on Nokia Web RunTime at a new convention that is colocated with SDWest next month called Mobile Connect. Details are here:
SESSION TYPE:
90-minute Conference Session, to be held Thursday, March 12th, 2009, 11:15am in the Santa Clara Convention Center
SESSION TRACK:
Mobile Development & Technologies
You know what your stakeholders want; now it’s time to implement it. Whether you need to determine coding standards or choose technology, this track will help you navigate the last few phases of the mobile software development lifecycle. With courses on programming styles, updates on the latest languages, core build and release techniques, maintenance guidelines and more, you’ll find advice and information on building, deploying and maintaining mobile software in the real world.
SESSION DESCRIPTION:
Nokia Web Runtime Widgets
This session will cover an overview of the benefits and features of Nokia’s Web Runtime technology including the recently announced platform services allowing for device specific access to features including the calendar, contacts, messaging, audio, video, images, GPS, and camera, via JavaScript APIs. The session will feature both best practices in widget development as well as an end-to-end solution demonstration in creating a real functional widget.
SESSION SPEAKER:
Rob Toole
Rob Toole has over a decade of experience in bringing rich and engaging experiences to both the desktop and mobile space with companies including, ESPN, Medtronic, and Fidelity Investments. As a recognized community expert in the mobile technology space, Rob has led sessions, product demos, and seminars as a guest for high-profile event organizers such as Adobe, Nokia, and Mobile Monday Boston.
Very excited about this opportunity and hope to see you there!
Posted in Mobile, Other, Web | No Comments »
February 10th, 2009 rob
I’m really excited about attending a great community driven conference at Ebay’s headquarters in San Jose next month called 360|iDev. I really saw this as a tremendous opportunity to gain some business insight and network as well as well a pick up some general iPhone development skills in the red-hot iPhone developer market. The price is unbeatable when compared with some 3-day workshops I’ve seen recently at over $2000. Click the banner above or to the right for details and get registered before the price goes up.
Some other folks from Beantown will be out there as well, both Scott Janousek and Keith Peters will be presenting which means after hours mayhem for sure. See you at the hotel bar.
Posted in Mobile, Other, Web | No Comments »
February 10th, 2009 rob
In starting to get acquainted with my new iPhone, I’ve been testing out some of the new location aware apps offered on the App store. One that caught my eye was Runkeeper. RunKeeper tracks workouts and tracks data such as time and location allowing you to build a diary and share your progress with your friends. I had been using Nokia Sports Tracker on and off for the last year and had been pretty happy with it so I decided to put my Nokia N95 in one pocket and my iPhone 3G in another and see how they matched up. Let the battle begin 
RunKeeper - My Tracked Workout
Newcomer first…. RunKeeper is pretty sweet. It does a great job allowing you to see your stored workouts on the device itself and even will leverage maps so you can see your mile markers and route. This is far beyond what Sports Tracker offers in the device, though ST does offer a lot more general data points. The RunKeeper online portal is a little primative but cool allowing you to post your workouts into social platforms such as Facebook and the like. From what I hear they are improving this as we speak.
Cons include some known issues that are being worked out. First, the touch interface makes it pretty easy to press something by accident when you’re stowing the handset, not their fault but a usability issue nonetheless. I did experience one bug (pictured above) that somehow had me running to Burlington, MA and back (40 something miles!) in under 20 minutes. I think this was caused by the low battery message. This is a killer since you simply can’t just do your run over and disappointing to find that after all that work you don’t have your data. But other than this anomoly it has worked for everytime since.
Nokia Sports Tracker - My Tracked Workout
Sports Tracker is still a great application that you can use with your compatible Nokia device. The socialization piece on the website is top notch allowing you to look at a world map and see other workouts in your area as well as post pictures from your workout. It also allows you to share your progress via widgets into other platforms.
Now the bad. In the same run head to head you can see that my N95 did not pick up the GPS till I was well into my run. This is not a software issue so to say since the built in GPS on this devices takes a notoriously long time to pick up location, but still not cool. Also the visualization on handset is terrible compared to RunKeeper. Strange that they are strong on the desktop and weak on the device here.
In closing, it’s important to note that Sportstracker is free while RunKeeper is not, at least for the premium version which is $9.99. You can also use a free version of RunKeeper which I used for the demo, but you’ll get hit with ads. I did end up buying the full version, but I think there needs to be a few more differentiators other than ads to justify the price here. As for Sports Tracker, it’s hard to tell if it’s more than skunkwork for Nokia as it’s been in beta for a while. It’s a great offering however and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them evolve it someday as they roll out more devices and maybe roll it into their Ovi strategy.
Who wins? They are both great and both specific to the handset, so depending on what you own (Nokia, iPhone) give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Posted in Mobile, Other, Web | 2 Comments »
January 5th, 2009 rob
I bet some of you are sports fans and have already seen ESPN.com’s new layout for their website. Design wise, a huge leap forward, still very rich and engaging and much easier to navigate. But there is something markedly different here. What you ask? Well the only thing left on it that’s still Flash based are the banner ads and video players. This is a huge departure from the old design which heavily relied on all sorts of widgets and small rich applications to visualize everything from real-time data such as game scores, to player stats. Now they seem to have replaced most of this with DHtml and Ajax. And it works beautifully.
In some ways this is a win for Adobe since if ESPN still picks them to ditribute their enomormous ammount of programming they clearly still have a firm grip on video distribution online (The video does look stunning). Yet interactive features that used to live inside flash such as search, comments, and stuff like star ratings are all outside the swf, just as other video rich sites like Hulu does. ESPN.com used to be a real mantle piece for Flash, and I really think the iPhone’s lack of support has had some hand in leading them to this approach. It’s smart in a lot of ways because you’re not plug-in dependent and only rely on the browser to render the bulk of your content. One thing I have to note as well is that now I get faster load times and less spinning beach balls on my Mac which points to better all around performance.
I love Flash and Adobe gained a lot of ground with MX 2004 in getting it to be looked at as a real application solution rather than an animation toy. Unless they continue to innovate, make Flash even more ubiquitous on even more platforms, and get performance better than ever, they may become a banner ad and artists tool for good someday.
Posted in Flex, Other, Web, eBusiness Trends | 2 Comments »
January 5th, 2009 rob
Aptana has released a suite of plug-ins a few weeks ago supporting Nokia Web Runtime. I was able to load it into Eclipse on my Macbook easily enough and give it a whirl, though they offer their own IDE for those on PC. It’s a free donwload with a 30-day trial available here.
To set some expectations, this tool is not a substitute for the S60 Emulator which gives a more real scenario of how your widget will perform. But what it does do it give you a great idea of how all of your AJAX and DHtml will perform in real-time. I remember testing out some widgets recently both for business and for a talk I gave for Nokia back in October, and it was tedious using a browser for crude tests, let alone constant installs to the phone and S60 emulator. There were security issues as well as CSS formatting inconsistencies, not to mention certain Javascript functions that simply were not supported the same way you’d see it in a conventional browser. This tool really bridges the gap in those instances and I wish I had it months ago. Would have saved me loads of time.
As usual, your hardware will still give you the ultimate watermark of whether or not your code works in the runtime. Other things to note is that it supports a variety of Nokia handsets with different screen sizes, Flash Lite embeds, packaging and deployment to Bluetooth devices, as well as soft-key support. No 4-way navigation, though this is where the emulator comes in. Wonder how this will affect touch as more S60 5th Edition devices entire the product line.
Kudos to the Nokia WRT team for getting another useful tool out for widget developers
Posted in Flash Lite, Mobile, Other, Web | 1 Comment »
January 4th, 2009 rob
2008 is over, thank god. But along with an ailing economy and painful marketplace came a lot of good things. So anyways, here’s my year in review:
Launched a number of rich applications with my employer Fidelity that I’m very proud of. Look forward to doing that in 2009 as well, hope to continue to raise the bar.
I spoke at Harvard University, led a lively talk with staff and the user group organizers.
Was a speaker at a Forum Nokia event with several colleagues in the industry.
Created and produced a podcast series with friends from BAMaDUG to critical acclaim.
Made dozens of contacts in the mobile industry at meetups and conferences such as Mobile Internet World, Mobile Monday and MiTX.
Founded and launched a social venture (still in stealth mode bit will be public soon).
Participated in beta testing for several Adobe products, under NDA so no comment
Broke down and bought an iPhone… after the intimate talk I saw by Phil Schiller (who’s doing the final MacWorld keynote this week in place of Steve Jobs) I couldn’t help myself. The developer tools are fantastic and I’ve already hit the ground running in getting some apps built. Look for that in Q1 this year.
I’m looking forward to what 2009 brings and have a good head of steam for the coming year. I’m excited to be booked for Flash on the Beach in Miami as well Flash on Tap in Boston. I’ll continue finishing my studies at Suffolk and look forward to finishing my MBA and will be a regular at industry events as usual. Look forward to seeing you all.
Posted in Other, eBusiness Trends | No Comments »
December 13th, 2008 rob
Picked up on this story via TechCrunch. Basically a bunch of kids from MIT built some mobile apps for platforms including Android, Windows Mobile, and Symbian as part of a course. They got a little help from the likes of Microsoft, Nokia, and Google which all have offices and research centers strategically located right next to MIT. Interestingly enough no iPhone apps (Objective-C anyone?), but I guess Apple puts more stock in Stanford anyway.
First, these days, is 13 weeks really that fast? These platforms are built for rapid prototyping and launch, so 13 weeks isn’t that impressive, especially from MIT caliber folks who had help from the companies. Another observation is the application ideas. Sure they are interesting but there are no killer apps to be found. Wonder if they went cross campus to the Sloan business school and talked to entrepreneurs there.
I guess my point here is that this kind of innovation should be fostered at other programs, not just MIT. It would also be interesting to see a professional development program offered for folks not in school. And how about build an app in a weekend? You could do that with Flash Lite, the hardest part (as always) would be getting a good idea.
Posted in Flash Lite, Mobile, Web | 1 Comment »
December 12th, 2008 rob
Back again for more punishment, we recorded another podcast in Harvard Square the other night. Great conversation and good atmosphere. Here’s the low down:
Members Rob Toole, Max Antinori, Scott Janousek, Ira Hochman, and Alessandro Pace give a recap of the MAX conference, cover new CS4 features, and the release of the Nokia N97. Recorded on location at Cambridge 1 in Cambridge, MA.
Subscribe via iTunes here!
Download the audio file here!
Posted in Flash Lite, Mobile, Web | 5 Comments »
November 28th, 2008 rob
I think I first was introduced to the concept of software evangelism back in the mid-nineties when I first met Guy Kawasaki at Macworld Boston when Gil Amelio was train-wrecking the company. The idea seemed like a novel one and since hind-sight is 20-20, it was clearly a brilliant marketing concept allowing for reaching a broader range of customers while enfranchising the development community. Of course Steve Jobs came back to Apple and Guy left soon after… in my opinion Apple wasn’t big enough for both Guy and Steve. Nonetheless, they have both been extremely successful since parting ways.
Software evangelist’s are now common place in most tech companies, and the role has evolved considerably. The lines are blurry in what exactly the responsibilities of them are from company to company, but I think I’ve got a good perspective of what makes a good one and a bad one based on my personal dealings with them. If you’re an evangelist, here’s a quick list to maybe take a look at:
Do:
Answer all email’s from customers, no matter how ridiculous of mundane. Worst offense of this is when I would see an email of a somewhat difficult question on forums and not hear a peep, yet easy questions were answered quickly in the same time-frame. Silence really speaks volumes in cases like this and calls to attention integrity and expertise.
Don’t:
Shamelessly and relentlessly trash your competitor publicly on web forums like Twitter and Facebook. Even I have bias and preferences, but I’d like to think that good products speak for themselves and because of that I can remain agnostic. Let the community trash talk for you, they’re the best barometer of if something is “better” than something else.
Do:
Operate a personal blog and reveal a little of yourself to the community, even with off-topic posts of your personal life. Like mountain-climbing or Anime? Tell us. These tidbits create in-roads to folks who may not be inclined to reaching out, unearthing opportunities otherwise hidden.
Don’t:
Be aloof at conferences and events with a generic “no comment” to most questions. I understand NDA’s and the need to keep quiet on competitive product news but there is a lot that can be done to mitigate this. Deflect the topics to ones that you can talk about or try and on-board these folks legally. Usually the people asking these questions are smart, get them under an NDA and get some valuable customer data rather than turn them away.
These are just a few examples I’ve seen from BIG companies and I bet more than a few of my friends could think of specific people I’m talking about. I won’t identify them, but I will identify someone who I think is a great evangelist.
Chuck Freedman from Ribbit is in my book, the quintessential evangelist. He’s smart, personable, and approachable on many levels and keeps his small yet growing developer-base updated and involved. Evangelists at big companies may want to take notice of Chuck’s work.
I know, half of the job is marketing and holding the torch for your company/product but take this advice from me as your customer. It’s politics. Be a good politician and you’ll be successful.
Posted in Other, Web, eBusiness Trends | 3 Comments »
November 14th, 2008 rob
There’s something I thought I’d never say. Yup, little old me is very excited to be addressing some of Harvard University’s faculty and staff next week at this months’ Harvard Flash User Group Meeting. The details are below:
Fidelity Investments has been extremely successful in defining, architecting, and building a variety of industry leading and award-winning rich media experiences for our customer base. The session will provide an overview of how technologies are identified and developed for maximum flexibility and scalability from a product life-cycle management perspective. Several real world examples will be showcased of how Fidelity has used Flash technology to drive business, educate our customers, and extend our brand across mobile and desktop devices. Come see how interesting and exciting even financial services can be when you add a touch of Flash.
I’ll admit, I avoid “The People’s Republic” most of the time and prefer Boston proper but I’m really look forward to this. Especially since my brother “Unca Mike” is currently a Harvard student. I believe it’s somewhat open to the public so check their policies for details if you’d like to come.
Posted in Flex, Mobile, eBusiness Trends | No Comments »
