I feel it be my duty to join the discussion (or online whining, if you don’t want to sugar coat the truth) about the iPad and what it is.  When I read tech blogs, websites and articles all I see from techies is what it can’t do.  Well how about what it can do and what it’s really meant for.  Listen up geeks and techies: the iPad isn’t really meant for you.

Everyone is bitching about what the iPad can’t do, how it’s only another fad gadget and that it won’t last because it doesn’t do all these great things.  I got four words for you people: SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE.  Apple’s intended audience for the iPad isn’t the IT department or code monkeys, although I’ll admit that’s pretty much unavoidable (they want to play with it of course!).  No, the intended audience for the iPad is the average Joe and every Tom, Dick and Harry that’s not into technology.  The iPad is the first anti-geek gadget (except for the iPhone, which could be in the same category).

The iPad is a basic way to consume content in today’s world.  Newspapers are dying, physical books are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  My grandma should be the one purchasing an iPad to consume her papers, her magazines, her books, her news, her email, her video, her everything.  The iPad is not a complicated device.  There are no extensions, no files, no folders, no software to install via CD-ROM.  NONE OF THAT TECHIE STUFF THAT’S FOREIGN TO THESE PEOPLE.  When you turn the iPad on, you have your books, content and apps delivered to you via the Wal-Mart of software, the App Store.  The basics are there, the ease of use is there, the technology is less scary.

So I say again: GEEKS OF THE WORLD!  The iPad is not for you.  It’s for your mother, your grandparents, your kids, and the Amish.

In conclusion, as the great Moss Puppet says: SHUT UP.

Courtesy of Mosspuppet.com

This line of videos has been featured on the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs for awhile now, but I feel it is my duty to continue to spread the love brought on by others. So here it is, hopefully a new regular item on Jabloggy, I give you, Walt Mossberg, The Only Techology Journalist in the World, in puppet style!

iSlate Review (before it was officially launched):

Courtesy of Mosspuppet.com

Two words sum up this post: HELL YEAH.

Earlier this week I received an email from Google regarding my Google Apps account (as I’m sure all of you Apps users did) and it delivered some of the best and geekiest news ever to be uttered by a large company: Google will be phasing out support for Internet Explorer 6 in their products over the course of 2010.

Now those of you who aren’t as geeky and techy are probably like, “WTF dude?  Who really freakin’ cares?!”  Well, those geeks and techies driving innovation and pushing for the future of our planet care!  With the world finally dropping support for this POS we are successfully able to roll out better, brighter and faster technology to our websites, making the web a better place for all and the devices that you are now using to access it, including that sexy new iPad.

So to all the Microsofts of the world, I have one thing to say: Pick up your shit and get the hell outta here!  Don’t like the door hit you on the way out.  Some of us are trying to bring the future to society, and your crappy ass products are slowin’ us down!

Is it a feminine product?

Is it a cool, hip, stylish apartment unit?

Is it a chair cushion with USB technology?

Is it a notebook with Firewire?  (and by notebook I mean an actual paper notebook from the 90’s, not a laptop; hilarious blast from the past, I know!)

Guess what?!  It’s none of those things!  It’s a giant iPhone that you need bigger pants to put it in!  Honestly, I see its potential in niche markets (home theater control center, security center, smart home dashboard, competitor to the Amazon Kindle, etc.) but as a general web browsing computer with which to make spreadsheets and slideshow presentations?!  Aww, snap!  Oh no he didn’t!

I guess this is the first Apple product I’m a little skeptical about, but I suppose we’ll see if Jobs and the bloodhound gang can do it again, eh?

I’ve probably been the quietest Apple geek with a blog about today’s new product announcement. Guess we’ll see what happens eh?

That’s right Jabloggyites.  The reason I’ve been missing in action for so long is because I’ve been going bonkers with preparing for the 6th Annual Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs) here in Madison.  I’m winding down here finally as the music awards are this Saturday, May 9th.

Here’s a brief rundown of what I’ve been doing:

• Designed and printed 1000 hand fliers
• Launched MadisonUrban.com, a new community for the urban / hip-hop / R&B scene in Madison
• Built and deployed Local Sounds Magazine, a new online magazine covering the music scene in Madison
• Tended to and maintained the Madison Area Music Awards website (I’m the web guy on the board of directors)
• Built and deployed the website for Local Sounds TV, a new service we’re launching this Saturday
• Managed the design and construction of a 4×8 Local Sounds backdrop for the Local Sounds TV video booth at the MAMAs on Saturday
• Planned the booth for Local Sounds at the music awards in the lobby
• And I think that’s everything…

So see?  I wasn’t faking it!  Oh, and before Saturday I still plan on updating the Local Sounds website, so hopefully by this weekend you can go to localsounds.org and check out all the features I’ve listed above.

Thanks for your patience, and I should be back a little more often very soon.

… That’ll be free. Please pull ahead to the next window…

Well, what I’m about to share with you is almost as good as getting a free meal at a local fast food joint. At least I’d like to think so!

I’m happy to announce that I have just completed version 1.0 of Jabloggy Mobile! That’s right folks, Jabloggy on your phone! But not just any phone! Jabloggy Mobile has been optimized for the wondrous marvel we call the iPhone.

Now I know that those of you without iPhones are probably cursing wildly at me, and I don’t blame you. However, the only reason I say that is because I don’t have any other phone available to me here at home to test it on. So if you want, I urge you to give it a go on your other, more primitive phone device and let me know if it works or not. If you send in your feedback and phone model, I can even start a little list on this post of compatible phones. Whaddya think of that??? Am I a nice guy or what?!

Check it out for yourself and share with others, just like mommy always taught you: http://m.mattjacoby.com

See!! See here!! THIS IS WHY I WAS AWAY FROM JABLOGGY FOR A WEEK!!! AARRGH!! $#%$$@#$$

Ok, that was my anger management moment. Anywho, I felt the need to express myself and share with you a little bit what my life is like. Behold a co-worker came across this the other day and I felt that my prayers had been answered…. you know, the ones where you wish someone would just do the work for you? PRAISE!

This diagram is a pretty much true depiction of a designer’s life. Note the yellow portion. This is the only part that I tend to do differently. I usually ignore IE6 completely, and I don’t even test IE7 at home (but for some God-awful reason IE7 managed to look just like Firefox and Safari when I created this new design; am I good? Or is someone punishing me?!)

Time for a Jastatty update! Just shy of two months ago, I issued a challenge to you, the readers of this pile of monkey dung excuse of a blog (no offense to the monkey dung). Today, I am pleased to announce that already I am seeing some significant improvements!

On December 9th, I asked that 2009 be the year that my readers try and make the switch to a better browser so that we can do our part to help bury Internet Explorer forever. Well, I come to you today to say that Internet Explorer is now ranked third in most used browsers on my blog! Firefox has climbed to the top and Safari has claimed the #2 spot. Let’s keep it up!

If you are new to my blog, check out the original challenge here: http://mattjacoby.com/2008/12/09/sexual-ichocolate/. Now help join in the fight!